Two More

Poems

from Meditation Six by Edward Taylor

Am I thy gold? Or purse, Lord, for thy wealth;
Whether in mine or mint refined for thee?
I'm counted so, but count me o'er thyself,
Lest gold washt face, and brass in heart I be...
Am I new minted by thy stamp indeed?
Mine eyes are dim, I cannot clearly see.
Be thou my spectacles that I may read
Thine image and inscription stampt on me...
Lord, make my soul thy plate: thine image bright
Within the circle of the same enfoil.
And on its brims in golden letters write
Thy superscription in an holy style.
Then I shall be thy money, thou my hoard:
Let me thy Angel be, be thou my Lord.

Diabetes and Dieting

Ah so...well... I got a call Friday as I was up to my elbows in frying flautas for our Missions Conference from my doctor. Unbeknowns to me, she ordered a a1c blood test at my first visit (in a year) last week. My level was 10 (desired in under 7), which told her that my blood sugars for the last three month has been about 275 a day! Yikes. At 9, you are diagnosed with diabetes.

So... I have three goals now:

• 1. Get them down to 8 or below so I can get off the medicine she ordered. I already take synthroid, and will for the rest of my life (even tho I have been off it for a year due to the move/not having a doctor/etc.), and I do NOT want to have to take another pill every day until I die to control my blood sugar level. I am going to retest in three months.

• 2. Lose weight. Toward this end, I am going on the Atkins diet - today was my first full day. And by "Atkins", I don't mean Atkin's diet, proper... rather I am going to limit my net carbs to about 20 per day. No sugar, no flour, no potatoes, peas, carrots or corn, no rice, no pasta, no fruit except some berries. I can do this - I lost 65 pounds doing it once before - but it does get very monotonous. I am going to have to try to find a lot of new recipes and interesting ways to keep motivated. I will be posting my progress here, mainly to help keep me motivated. Atkins also has a page on FB to "like", and I have already found a lot of recipes there as well as general support.

• 3. Exercise more. We joined the Rec Center here in Mustang, and are going to work out five times a week, taking Sundays and Wednesdays off. Some links I want to keep where I can find them:
  A list of carbs levels of 1000 foods: http://www.healthandfitness.com/bbs/nutri/messages/2300.html
  details on the a1c test: http://www.diabetes-blood-sugar-solutions.com/a1c-blood-test.html
  Some Atkins recipes to adapt or use as is: http://www.atkinschefrecipes.com/recipes/almond-panna-cotta
  More Carb Counts incl Fast food: http://www.weightbydate.com/carb-counter.htm (Scroll to bottom of the page - over 11,000!)
  Fit Day - FREE weight loss tracker - tons of tools, I used this last time it's great! http://www.fitday.com/

Talented Daughters

I am amazed at the musical talent my daughters display. I have played the piano in church for the past 32 years. However, I don't have any musical talent! Everything I play I have to work for and practice for months! I can play hymns fairly well, however, I still can not play arrangements after all these years. The language of music may as well be the language of greek to me. (I did want to take greek in college, but scheduling prevented it.)

My oldest daughter can sit at a piano and fiddle around with the keys, from one end to another and make her imaginative tinkering sound like a composed piece! My second to oldest daughter heard this song (on player) online, and went to the piano and in a number of days had it all figured out including dynamics! My third daughter is teaching herself guitar, and currently learning the dueling banjos - without any lessons! All she wants for her upcoming 16th birthday is a guitar book from Mardel's (a local Christian bookstore).

It is a joy to have daughters who are so blessed musically. I pray one day they will use their talents for the Lord!

Unreached of the Day

Just found this widget online at a friend's blog. I don't know how baptist the site is, it looks protestant to me. Even so, it does give you a automatic, visual reminder of people to pray for in unreached places around the world ("less than 5% evangelical Christians" is their definition).

It keeps the need for missions in your mind and heart. Check it out here: http://www.joshuaproject.net/upgotdfeed.php